HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-07-17 Public Comment - B. Maxwell - Solar PanelsMr. Mayor and Bozeman City Commissioners,
Despite promises otherwise, the City of Bozeman Community Development Department
continues to push unnecessary obstacles before the development of solar-electric installations in
town. These obstacles present substantial material losses for both solar-electric contractors and
their clients.
As a current example, allow me to describe a solar installation proposed for a home in downtown
Bozeman. I will not be more specific about the address, nor will I provide the property owner's
name or that of the subcontractor for concerns of retribution.
The primary fault is that this application was required to go through the planning department
review, which involved both an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness and review by
the DRB. (C'mon!) The application permit cost was $84, but that doesn't take into account the
time and material spent by the contractor to provide the following:
--Elevation photos of the house from all four sides, demonstrating how the solar array will
appear on the house;
--Specification sheets for all system hardware and components;
--Hard copy and USB with all information provided digitally;
--A narrative of the reasons for this installation and how its appearance will affect Bozeman.
Also, the Planning Department application process took over two weeks, costing the applicant
important time from their annual solar production, and causing the contractor down time while
they reshuffled their work schedule and crew. As of this letter, the applicant still does not have a
permit.
Recommended course of action: Place on the commission agenda a motion to remove
forever any and all Planning Department review of all small-scale solar-electric installations in
the City of Bozeman. Also, let ours be the City that mandates the provision of building permits
for all properly documented, small-scale renewable energy projects in no more than 5 business
days so professional solar-electric installers working in this community are given the best of our
civil service.
Earth Day 2017 falls on April 22nd, so you have sufficient time, Mr. Mayor, to place this item on
the agenda for Monday, April 24th.
Thank you,
--
Blake Maxwell
516 W Lamme Street
Bozeman